Winter Solstice

 

SSA/harp or piano

Texts by Lonnie Howard (plus introductory Haiku by Elizabeth Searle Lamb)
Duration: 7:00 (both movements)
Difficulty rating (1-5): 3

I. at midnight...
II. These nights pass slowly...

 

listen to Winter Solstice, mvmt I  listen to Winter Solstice, mvmt II Performed by the University of Pittsburgh Women's Ensemble, Lorraine Milovac, director; Lucy Scandrett, harp

Commissioned by the Santa Fe Women's Ensemble.

When I was asked to write a commissioned piece for the Santa Fe Women’s Ensemble I was determined to write something very special for the group, as they had been so kind as to present other pieces of mine on a number of earlier programs. I have always loved New Mexico, and decided that I would try to write a piece for them that would have a specifically New Mexico flavor. I eventually found and read many poems by New Mexico poets and settled on works by Miriam Sagen, Lonnie Howard, and the late Elizabeth Searle Lamb. Eventually I realized that if I used all of the poems I had selected by these three wonderful writers it would create a  piece that might be too long and unwieldy, so I reluctantly dropped the long Sagen poem and all but one of the beautiful haiku by Lamb. I hope to set Miriam Sagen’s poetry in the near future and will also look at more of Elizabeth Lamb’s poetry as well.

The texts are about the winter solstice in New Mexico, a very special time and place. They are not Christmas texts, yet the passing of the winter solstice is, of course, often associated with the Christmas hope of renewal. What I have tried to write, with these poems as inspiration, is “night music”, a genre which I have always loved. Also, while the landscapes are New Mexican, I hope that the beauty of the texts and the winter solstice theme will still attract interest from choir directors and audiences in the larger choral world.

Along with these enchanting texts, I have also tried to create some further magic by the use of small bell tones as the piece draws to a conclusion. Since the premiere is to be in the intimate Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe with its famous miraculous staircase, I felt that a little extra magic would be a nice touch for the audiences at the premiere performances. So as the piece ends there are to be very subtle little bells rung or shaken, just a few tones at first, and a slight buildup, and then a fading away.

Sherri, Aidan, and I had a great time in Santa Fe during the week of the premiere  with our hosts Linda and Jim Beck. Aidan especially enjoyed our own little casita with all its little pathways -- what a magical week! We  also met Natalie Goldberg, who now lives in Santa Fe, and whose poetry I have set to music (My Friend Elijah, and Into this World) and really had a great time getting to know the main poet for this piece, Lonnie Howard. Lonnie's energy was so warm and positive -- just a wonderful person in so many ways.

Complete perusal score available upon request.

Recent News: Women's Choir to Visit China

The Saint Mary's College Women's Choir plans to visit China during the 2011 spring break.  They have been invited by the Nanjing Arts Institute in Nanjing China to work with the school's well-known women's choir under the direction of Dixian Teng.  The two choirs will present several concerts together.  Laurel Thomas and Nancy Menk will present master classes in singing and conducting for the Chinese students.  A visit to Shanghai is also planned.

COMMENTS
The Santa Fe audience thrilled at the music by Paul Carey that used a text by Santa Fe poet Lonnie Howard.  As we were gathered in the beautiful Loretto Chapel for concerts, the full moon had risen outside and all the specific images [of the poetry] of Santa Fe warmed our hearts. Paul's music is highly evocative and surrounds the listener with exquisite beauty.  Check out this piece and see how it would translate to your winter experience. 

Linda Raney, artistic director, Sante Fe Women's Ensemble

I would like to say... how much we enjoyed your wonderful composition, Winter Solstice. It was luminous, and lush, and evoked such wonderful imagery. You managed to create an almost tangible atmosphere where the singer and listener were able to experience the "iris bulbs buried in red earth" and "black bear sleeping" or "a string of colored prayer flags..."  I haven't seen the music for over a year, [yet] I can still recall those beautiful melodic phrases and the words.

Linda Beck, member of the Santa Fe Women's Ensemble, also a published composer and member of ASCAP